Ever Since That Night
by Virtuella
Summary: Nativity plays I wrote for my church. Feel free to use if you wish.
1. Ever Since That Night - 2014 Nativity

Narrator: Long ago in a faraway place, people were not so very different from people here today. Some were working long hours in tough jobs, outside in all weather, and got very little in the way of pay or respect.

...

The shepherds appear on the scene.

First Shepherd, "It's a cold night again."

Second Shepherd, "Tell me about it. My feet are little lumps of ice."

Third Shepherd, "Is there any bread left?"

Second Shepherd, " 'fraid not."

First Shepherd, "I ate it. I'm sorry, I was soooo hungry."

Third Shepherd, "Oh, well, never mind. How long till morning?"

First Shepherd, "Are you kidding? It's not yet midnight."

Second Shepherd, "I'm freezing!"

Third Shepherd, "Let's huddle together and keep warm."

The shepherds leave.

...

Some people were clever and educated and well-to-do, and they worried about what the world was coming to.

The wise men enter.

First Wise Man, "Looks like the situation in Palestine is getting really tense."

Second Wise Man, "No wonder. New tax lists, and no doubt they will be followed by new taxes."

Third Wise Man, "Those bigwigs in Rome are totally out of touch."

Second Wise Man, "The Jews will revolt, depend on it. And good on them. That emperor needs a lesson."

First Wise Man, "Oh, I hope it won't come to that. The bloodshed would be terrible."

Third Wise Man, "You're right there, but what else could they do? Rome is cruel to them, shall they just put up with it?"

First Wise Man, "Maybe there's another way."

Second Wise Man, "You wish!"

The wise men leave.

...

Some people had power and wealth and were determined to cling to it whatever the cost.

Herod and his advisor enter.

Herod, "There is still talk about a revolt among the Jews. This has to stop. If there is any rioting, Rome will blame me. You must do something, do you hear?"

Advisor, "Certainly, my king. I have already thought of a plan."

Herod, "And what would that be?"

Advisor, "Send out your heralds to all corners of the land. Let them proclaim that you love the people and will do the best for them. Tell them if they show loyalty, you will richly reward them."

Herod, "And that will work?"

Advisor, "Trust me."

Herod and his advisor leave.

_..._

And some were bewildered and scared and had no place to go and still they kept up some hope.

Mary and Joseph enter.

Joseph, "I'm sorry, Mary. That guesthouse was full as well."

Mary, "The pains are coming faster. What will we do, Joseph?"

Joseph, "We'll keep looking. _Somebody_ has got to take us."

Mary, "How can you be so sure?"

Joseph, "Because God has given us this baby. God will not let us down."

Mary, "True. God promised that this will be a very special baby."

Joseph, "And God will provide a special place for the baby to be born."

Mary, "Ach, I don't really mind, even a corner in a stable would do. Just think, soon we'll be a family! Ow, there's the pain again…"

Mary and Joseph continue to wander about.

The Angel appears and says, "So there was darkness and cold and confusion and just a little hope. And God sent me to shine a new light on all this.

So I shone a light on a shelter that was willing to receive Mary and Joseph, and there the baby was born. And when she looked at the baby, Mary knew that God was indeed with her and that no darkness, no fear and no confusion would ever separate her from God's love.

I shone on the hills where the shepherds shivered in the winter wind. I shone on them a light of peace and goodness, and so they went to see the child. And their hearts were lifted, because they knew that they were in God's presence, that God loved them and that they were truly, fully human.

I also lit a great star in the night skies to guide the clever men to the child. So they, too, came to the stable, bringing their riches with them to put at the disposal of the child. And when they looked at Him, they understood that yes, there was another way."

That sounds wonderful. Excuse me for asking, though: What about Herod?

The Angel sighs. "I shone a light on him, too, but that was a very different light. It was a light of challenge, and I lit it to make him see that power and greed stood between him and God."

You sound as if you didn't succeed…?

The Angel shakes her head sadly. "I didn't. He was too far from God; he couldn't understand it. I showed him how hollow and dry his own heart was, and in response he…he set off to kill people. He killed children." She hides her face in her hands. "If you challenge those in power, it can happen that they turn into murderers. Jesus found that out as well later."

Was it all in vain then?

The Angel shrugs. "I am not sure…"

First Wise Man, "No, it wasn't in vain. My life was changed forever."

Second Wise Man, "Mine too."

Third Wise Man, "And mine."

First Shepherd, "Since that night, I have never felt completely deserted."

Second Shepherd, "Or helpless."

Third Shepherd, "Or unloved."

Joseph, "We all understood, when we looked at the child, how boundless God's love really is."

Mary, "And the story that began more than 2000 years ago in a stable in a small town in Palestine has not stopped bringing light to people ever since that night."

All speak together, "Glory to God in the highest, and peace on Earth and good news to all people."


	2. Many Journeys - 2016 Nativity

**Many Journeys: 2016 Nativity Play**

**The Donkey - The Journey to Bethlehem **

_My master came to me last week and said, "Hey, my good fellow, you are taking these folk to Bethlehem." So I looked up to see who he meant, and it was this couple. I knew the woman, she is our neighbour, lovely lass. Always gives me a pat and a kind word when she walks past. The man was a stranger, but he seemed friendly enough. I had no objection to travelling with them. So we've been on our way for three days now. I don't know how much further it is to Bethlehem and what they want there. That's humans for you: Always going this place and that, and when you get there, the hay is just the same. Well, I suppose all these journeys have their purpose, even if I don't see it._

**The Innkeeper - Many Journeys Come Together **

_I don't get around much, you know. I'm an innkeeper, got to stay here to keep my business going. But the world comes to me, in a way. People travel this way from all over, some as far as Egypt, even Rome. All sorts, too: rich, poor, old, young, decent folk and crooks. And the stories they have to tell! Recently, there has been such a great number of people coming, all because of … you know … the political situation. My house has been full to the rafters for weeks. I've even put people in the broom cupboard. And now this: this young couple here, and the woman heavily pregnant. I really couldn't take them in without throwing out someone else. But I couldn't just turn them away either, could I? Suddenly I thought of the stable. It's not much, but it's a roof over their heads at least. _

**The Birth – Joseph's Journey of Faith **

_I'm not going to lie; I've had my doubts about this whole thing. I mean, wouldn't you, if you were me? But Mary, she said this was going to be no ordinary baby. It was going to be the child that would make all the difference, to everyone. God's Son, she said. Well, that's a bit of a hard thing to believe, don't you think? But Mary, she believed it all right, I could see it in her eyes. And then there were those dreams I had. So I went along with it, didn't make a fuss. And now I look at this tiny new-born, so small that I can hold him in my cupped hands. He opens his eyes, he meets my gaze. And I understand, yes, you were right, Mary, this is no ordinary child. Whether he will indeed change everything, for everyone, I cannot tell. I know, though, that he has already changed everything for me._

**The Shepherds - Stuck in a Dead End **

_Another night on the hill, one of far too many. For twenty-six years I have looked after the sheep. I have tended the new-born, searched for the lost, chased off the wolves. What difference did it ever make? They are just sheep. My life is going nowhere. I look at the stars moving across the sky and I envy them, for they travel to the farthest reaches of the Earth, while I am stuck here. What is the point of it all? Does anyone care? One day I will die and the world will move on and I will be forgotten. _

**Luke 2, 8-14 **

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests."

**Choir of Angels - Signposting the Journey **

_We hope you understand…_

…_you have to go…_

…_the world is changing…_

…_and so are your lives…_

…_don't just sit there…_

…_don't stay the same…_

_...open your eyes and ears..._

_...open your hearts..._

…_make the first step…_

_...don't be afraid..._

_...leave your bags behind..._

…_GO NOW!_

**The Shepherds' Visit – Now My Feet Are Singing on the Way **

_Tonight I will never forget. In the freezing cold, we were all huddled round a tiny fire and suddenly the flames started leaping and dancing and there was light, and then the messengers from God. Why would they choose us? Why would God choose me? I still don't know the answer to that but I do know I was chosen and trusted. Make no mistake we rounded up our sheep and we hurried to see that baby. We only walked a couple of miles to get here, so why do I feel like we have travelled to the ends of the Earth? Why do I feel as if the look from the baby's eyes has travelled with the starlight from distances unimaginable? He looked at me, you know, and when he looked at me, I understood: My life does matter. The care I give, even if it is just to the sheep, is part of the tapestry of life. The kindness I show to my neighbour, the joy I feel at the beauty of the night sky – it counts, all of it. My life changed tonight because I realized God does care even about poor shepherds who most people forget about. Yes, God is with us. The journeys that matter most are those we undertake inside our own hearts._

**Mary – Journey Into The Unknown **

_He cannot walk yet, but he has already taken his first step: away from me. I carried him inside me all those months and now we have started to part. He will still need me, for long years to come; he will curl up in my arms and call me his home. But he is not meant to be mine or to remain in my care. One day his journey will take him from me and he will walk unknown paths. He will walk among strangers. And he will carry with him all the love that I have poured into his life from my own humble heart, and he will share it out freely. He will walk on the top of the mountain and through the valley of fear and as he walks, the strangers will become friends. He will walk, with the sun on his head and the dust clinging to his shoes, and who knows where his journey will end?_

**The Magi – Our Journeys Through Time and Space **

_We are astronomers; we watch the skies at night to decipher the secrets of the universe. Compass and star chart, angle and number, these are our world. We deal in facts and logic. We knew exactly what we were looking for when we followed that special star moving west: A palace, a king and a princely infant surrounded by jewels and servants. We feared our gifts might be too humble. And then it all turned out differently. Our journey led us to the simplest of places with a door so low we had to stoop when we entered. What did we find, you ask? How can I put it? We are astronomers, we search, we study the universe. Our minds travel the whole length and depth of the world, and there are many marvels to discover. Who knows what we may find, or others who come after us? But one thing we have learned tonight: No matter how far we travel, in the body or in the mind, no matter how vast the universe stretches out, whenever we arrive, God will be waiting for us._


End file.
